Episodes

  • Gas prices on Long Island climb 46.8%; US Open to return to Shinnecock Hills Golf Club

    Gas prices on Long Island climb 46.8%; US Open to return to Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
    Jun 11 2026
    Gasoline prices on Long Island and in the metropolitan area climbed 46.8% last month overall compared with a year ago, the third double-digit increase since March and the highest so far. James T. Madore reports in NEWSDAY that skyrocketing pump prices led to higher inflation overall in both the New York area and nationwide in May with the consumer price index rising at its quickest pace in three years. The index was released yesterday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The ongoing war in Iran, which has disrupted oil production and transportation for more than 100 days, is behind the high cost of gasoline, experts said. In the New York area, gasoline prices rose in May at their fastest rate in nearly four years.However, they've moderated this month. The average price of a gallon of unleaded in our region was $4.25 yesterday, down from $4.41 on June 1, according to AAA. The price of gasoline on the south fork east of Southampton Village is currently closer to 4.50 or more per gallon.Economists predicted pump prices would remain elevated as long as the Iran war rages — and consumers burdened by the higher cost of living would continue to alter their shopping habits as a result.Gasoline was a driving force in the price index for the 25-county region that includes Long Island rising 5.1% last month compared with May 2025. That rate of growth is the fastest since February 2023.“Over 5% starts to get people concerned because [increases in the index] should really be in the 2% to 3% range,” said Steven Kent, chief economist for the Long Island Association business group. “Getting to over 5% is difficult for people.”Pump prices were up 40.5% nationwide year over year, or 6.3 percentage points lower than locally.***A Suffolk County judge yesterday issued an order in related lawsuits over U.S. Open Golf parking at Enterprise Park at Calverton (EPCAL).The order bars tournament-related vehicles from parking on 400 David Court LLC’s property.Shuttle buses may pass through the easement area, and concrete blocks obstructing bus movement may be moved.The court said the order does not decide whether the planned use is permitted under the easement.Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that a Calverton property owner has sued the Town of Riverhead, the Riverhead Community Development Agency and the United States Golf Association over use of part of its property for U.S. Open parking and shuttle operations at EPCAL, but a court order issued Wednesday appears to preserve the town’s planned parking operation while barring vehicles from parking on the company’s property.Riverhead Town Attorney Erik Howard told Riverheadlocal last night that the parties appeared in Suffolk County Supreme Court and conferenced the matter. “At this time, there appears to be agreement resolving the immediate disputes relative to the parking of vehicles at the Town’s Calverton property,” Howard said. “I do not anticipate that parking for the US Open at Calverton Enterprise Park will be negatively impacted.”The court order expressly states that it does not resolve whether the use of the easement contemplated by the license agreement, or by the order itself, is a permitted use under the easement. The underlying lawsuits remain pending.The USGA’s proposal, attached to the town’s license agreement, estimated peak parking demand at about 3,750 vehicles on Friday and Saturday of championship week, with about 8,625 people using the Calverton parking and shuttle operation on those peak days. USGA officials said they expected to use about 130 to 145 coach buses on peak days to move spectators between Calverton and Shinnecock Hills.***In just 4 days the U.S. Open returns to Shinnecock Hills Golf Club for its 126th playing, and the fifth time it has been held in Southampton.As reported on 27east.com, the annual tournament is the United States Golf Association’s premier showcase, of the 14 national championships it puts on, and its largest production by far. Each year’s championship takes four years to prepare for and organize. With more than 100,000 spectators, volunteers, vendors and media passing through the gates, the logistics require creating, and then dismantling, a small city in just a matter of months — at a cost of more than $80 million. Tournament week begins this coming Monday with championship play Thursday, June 18 through Sunday, June 21st.Opens at Shinnecock Hills are always in the national spotlight. Indeed, it is an international sporting event right here in our own hometown...for better or worse.***When James Abdul-Lateef Poulos started to study Islam in the mid-1980s, he had a hard time finding a mosque on Long Island, he said. There were only four.Today, there are 40, underscoring the steady growth of the Muslim community in Nassau and Suffolk, he said. Now, several new ones are going up, including two that will be the largest on Long Island.Bart Jones reports in NEWSDAY that ...
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    10 mins
  • New bill to require healthcare providers to report instances of alpha-gal syndrome; Law suit unfolds over land for parking at Shinnecock Hills; and more East End news

    New bill to require healthcare providers to report instances of alpha-gal syndrome; Law suit unfolds over land for parking at Shinnecock Hills; and more East End news
    Jun 10 2026
    A string of recent service meltdowns at Penn Station raises new questions about whether the Manhattan transit hub is up to handling massive crowds heading to the NBA Finals and World Cup, transportation advocates say.Alfonso A. Castillo reports in NEWSDAY that three major incidents in and around Penn Station in recent weeks — including two rail tunnel fires — snarled Long Island Rail Road service over several rush hours, all while the station operates at reduced capacity because of a repair project keeping one of the four East River tunnels out of service.Officials with Amtrak, which owns and maintains Penn Station and the adjoining tunnels, have said the incidents were anomalies and not evidence of larger infrastructure issues at the station — the busiest rail terminal in the Western Hemisphere.But transit advocates say the recent failures were made worse by Amtrak's approach to tunnel repairs and capacity restrictions at a station built to handle about 100,000 riders daily, and now moving about six times as many each day.Offering some hope for a smoother customer experience in the future at the 115-year-old station, Amtrak earlier this week released new details of an $8 billion project, spearheaded by the Trump administration, to redevelop Penn Station.Although the effort will not expand track capacity, project leader Andy Byford said some of the upgrades will streamline train service. The planned demolition of the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden, on top of Penn, will allow for the removal of several structural columns at track level that will give riders more breathing room on platforms."We’re not just going to limit ourselves to what looks nice at street level and on the concourse," Byford said. "We’re also going to totally modernize the platform area and fire, life safety issues and make sure that things like the switches ... are modernized." Samuel Turvey, chairman of Rethink Penn Station NYC, a group pushing for upgrades at Penn, said, even with a limited ability to expand the station’s capacity, any redevelopment effort should look to widen narrow platforms — making it easier for customers to get on and off trains, even with the kind of demand during the NBA Finals and World Cup.***Last week, a bill sponsored by New York State Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni that would require healthcare providers to report instances of alpha-gal syndrome in Suffolk County unanimously passed in the state Assembly.Hope Hamilton reports on 27east.com that according to the NYS Department of Health, illnesses that are classified as reportable diseases must be reported to the department by healthcare workers and the data must be made available to the general public through the DOH’s annual Communicable Disease reports. Other tick-related illnesses such as anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever are reportable diseases. Alpha-gal syndrome, however, is not.Schiavoni’s legislation would place alpha-gal syndrome on this list.Alpha-gal syndrome — an allergy to foods containing the alpha-gal sugar molecule, most commonly mammalian meat products such as beef, lamb and pork, and in severe cases dairy products — can be caused by a lone star tick bite. Because the human body does not produce alpha-gal, the saliva of a lone star tick that contains alpha-gal can trigger this allergy. It’s important to note, however, that not everyone who gets bitten by a lone star tick develops alpha-gal syndrome, according to the DOH.“I made this legislation because of the growing prevalence of alpha-gal syndrome on Eastern Long Island,” Schiavoni told THE SAG HARBOR EXPRESS. “Of the reported instances on the federal websites, Suffolk County is leading the country in cases of alpha-gal syndrome.”A spokesperson from the Suffolk County Department of Health Services said in a statement this week: “Although specifics on tick density are difficult to establish, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services is continuing to see a tick population on the East End and throughout Suffolk County. The species of ticks the department is seeing includes blacklegged ticks, lone star ticks, American dog ticks and Asian longhorned ticks. Residents are reminded of the importance of tick education and prevention of tick bites.”***For the first time in seven years, a band has pulled off a three-peat at the 2026 Battle of the Bands.Dan Stark reports on 27east.com that five teen bands treated fans to a memorable night of music and showmanship at Ponquogue Beach in Hampton Bays on Friday night. Daydream won its third consecutive battle in the Southampton Town-sponsored competition for teen musicians. Daydream is the first band to accomplish the feat since Road Trip from 2017 through 2019.A four-piece rock band, Daydream’s five-song set showcased a band operating as a well-oiled machine, with quick transitions between songs and selections that got the crowd pumped.After the winning ...
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    10 mins
  • Suffolk County apprehends 18 shoplifters; toxic plume in East Hampton leads to questions regarding battery energy storage facility; and more East End news

    Suffolk County apprehends 18 shoplifters; toxic plume in East Hampton leads to questions regarding battery energy storage facility; and more East End news
    Jun 9 2026
    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security plans to flood New York City with more ICE agents since Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed legislation that will stymie the department’s efforts, the White House border czar said yesterday.Hochul told Newsday that the move would be "wildly disruptive" to the nation's economic capital and that "Americans have had enough with the overreach of ICE."On Long Island, immigration advocates said they feared a stepped-up U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement campaign in the city could spill over to Nassau and Suffolk counties, and they expect any surge to be met with resistance.Speaking on Fox News, Tom Homan said he will fulfill a “promise" he made to Hochul that if the legislation passed, he would send more agents to the city. “I made her a promise," Homan said on “Fox and Friends." “You’re gonna see more ICE agents [than] you’ve ever seen in New York City. And it's coming." “I just reviewed an operational plan," he added. “I'm not gonna tell you exactly when it's gonna happen, but it's coming. I'm keeping my promise. We're gonna send more ICE agents to New York because you took away the efficiencies of safe arrests in county jails."He has previously said he will “flood the zone" in New York City.Bart Jones reports in NEWSDAY that Hochul in late May signed legislation that bars ICE agents from wearing masks and keeps immigration agents out of sensitive locations such as churches and schools unless they have a warrant.The legislation also bars local governments from entering into 287(g) agreements that allow them to deputize local police as ICE agents and allows ICE to use local jails to hold detained migrants.On Monday, Hochul said President Donald Trump had promised her he will not send a surge of ICE agents into areas unless local officials ask for it."I'm not asking now - that'll never happen, because they saw what happened to Minneapolis...I would think that the president, the former New Yorker, would understand, we want to all keep the city safe. It is the economic engine of the country, so that'll be wildly disruptive" if he sends a surge of ICE agents, Hochul said.Minerva Perez, executive director of Organización Latino Americana {OLA} an East End immigration advocacy group, said yesterday she fears an uptick in ICE agents in New York City will spread to Long Island.“We already know there are outposts on Long Island. We already know that there are processing centers on Long Island," Perez said, adding that any surge in agents is likely "going to spill over to Long Island."Hochul said New York will help arrest real criminals but not immigrants without criminal records. "New York State is not a sanctuary state for criminals," she said. "In New York, our local police need to be focused on local crimes and not filling up our jails with people who ICE has taken off our streets, out of our schools, out of our pizzerias, out of our homes, and I'm not going to be part of that," she said. "We're not going to be helping with civil immigration enforcement."***The Riverhead Town Board will hold a special meeting tomorrow evening for a public hearing on the proposed Peconic River Hotel, a five-story, 94-room hotel planned for East Main Street in Riverhead as part of the downtown town square project.Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that the hearing, scheduled for Wednesday June 10 at 6 p.m. in Town Hall, concerns the site plan and special permit applications filed by J. Petrocelli Riverhead Town Square LLC, the town’s designated master developer for the town square project. The meeting was called solely for the hearing.The purpose of the hearing is to allow the Riverhead Town Board to review the hotel site plan and special permit application, hear from the applicant, receive comments from town staff and outside agencies, and take public comment before deciding whether to approve, deny or modify the applications.The hotel is proposed for 117-127 E. Main St., on the south side of Main Street in Riverhead next to the planned town square and the East End Arts campus. The property is in the Downtown Center 1: Main Street zoning district, where hotels are allowed by special permit from the Riverhead Town Board.***The Suffolk County Police Department will hold a vehicle auction this coming Saturday, June 13, at its impound facility in Westhampton.The auction, hosted by the department’s Impound Section, will begin at 9 a.m. at 100 Old Country Road.Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that approximately 90 lots will be auctioned, including sedans and SUVs, according to police. All vehicles will have a minimum bid of $500 and will be sold as-is.Vehicles may be previewed Thursday, June 11, and Friday, June 12, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the impound yard in Westhampton. Vehicles will also be available for preview for one hour before the auction begins Saturday.Vehicle documents for the auction can also be viewed at the Suffolk County Police ...
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    10 mins
  • Suffolk County Water Authority suing East Hampton BESS operator

    Suffolk County Water Authority suing East Hampton BESS operator
    Jun 8 2026
    The NYS Department of Transportation will begin $146 million in bridge and road repairs across Long Island this summer, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced yesterday, promising that upgrades would not affect peak summer beach travel.“Investing in Long Island’s bridges and highways means investing in safety, economic opportunity and improving the stability of vital roadways while building a dependable transportation system that Long Islanders need,” Hochul said in a statement.Janon Fishe reports in NEWSDAY that punishing commercial truck traffic makes up a tenth of the 190,000 vehicles that use the Long Island Expressway, tearing up the roadway, transportation officials said.That is why most of the $146 million highway fund will go toward repaving 193 lane miles of the Long Island Expressway and 140 lane miles of Sunrise Highway, the governor said.The governor promised that traffic disruption due to construction will not happen during rush hours and it will be coordinated with other traffic projects going on at the same time.Suffolk County will get $3.6 million to seal pavement cracks and work on the wooden noise barriers will continue, according to the governor.Heckscher State Parkway in Suffolk County has already started a $15 million project to repair concrete pavement in the Town of Islip. The governor said it would be finished by the end of next year.State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Kathy Moser said in a statement that Hecksher State Park is "one of Long Island’s most treasured outdoor destinations, welcoming more than 1.3 million visitors each year," adding that the construction will "provide better access for the many visitors who enjoy this iconic state park.”***The Suffolk County Water Authority filed a federal lawsuit against the operator of an East Hampton Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) operator late last week after the discovery of high levels of perfluorinated compounds in nearby public drinking water wells following a 2023 fire at the BESS facility.East Hampton Town is now calling for a task force to protect the community’s drinking water.Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that two of the Water Authority’s affected wells, which are south of the BESS facility, exceeded New York State’s maximum contaminant level for PFAS, and SCWA has taken the affected wells out of service as a result of the detections, according to the Town of East Hampton, which released a statement about the incident this past Friday.The 5 MW BESS system, called the East Hampton Energy Storage Center, is at an electric substation on Cove Hollow Road. It is a joint venture of NextEra Energy Resources and National Grid that came online in 2018. In addition to the operators of the Energy Storage Center, the Water Authority’s lawsuit also names battery manufacturers LG Chem and LG Energy Solutions as defendants.A fire broke out at the BESS system on May 31 of 2023. Officials said at the time it was contained as designed, with a built in fire suppression system.The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, alleges that the casings of the batteries “opened and released their contents” during the fire, and water from the fire suppression efforts ran off the property and into an undeveloped area to the south of the property. The wells are about 2,500 feet south of the BESS facility.On Friday, June 5, East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez issued a statement calling on New York State, Suffolk County, and Suffolk County Water Authority leaders “to form a coordinated joint task force to protect the community’s drinking water and groundwater.”In a letter to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine, and the Suffolk County Water Authority, Ms. Burke-Gonzalez “asked the offices to establish a joint task force to ensure that residents’ drinking water and the underlying groundwater are protected, including testing nearby private wells and pooling state and county resources so that the burden does not fall on ratepayers or individual homeowners.”***The Riverhead Town Board is slated to hold a public hearing on the proposed site plan for the new five-story hotel adjacent to the town’s Town Square project at a special meeting this coming Wednesday, June 10 at 6 p.m.Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that the five-story “Peconic Hotel,” slated to be a part of the Hilton Tapestry Collection is currently proposed as a five-story, 69,738-square-foot building containing a 94-room hotel, retail spaces, a restaurant, café and nine parking stalls on the lowest level, according to the public hearing notice.The project is being proposed by J. Petrocelli Contracting, named last year the Town of Riverhead’s Master Developer of the Town Square project.The hotel will be on property transferred last year from the town to J. Petrocelli as part of the Town Square deal. It was initially ...
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    10 mins
  • Annual conservation event Day for the Bay tomorrow; Catholic church denounce Trump deportation campaign; and more

    Annual conservation event Day for the Bay tomorrow; Catholic church denounce Trump deportation campaign; and more
    Jun 5 2026
    Homeowners who live near the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club will not be allowed to park cars on their lawns on their driveways or on their street frontage for a fee during the U.S. Open this month, Southampton Town says. Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that the Town of Southampton has already issued a cease-and-desist order to a Barkers Island Road homeowner who was advertising for paid U.S. Open parking spaces on his property with lawn signs and through internet posts.Ryan Murphy, the town’s director of code enforcement, said that using a residential property for a profit-making venture constitutes an illegal change of use under the town’s zoning codes and that the town code officers will be doing patrols before and during the tournament, which runs from June 15-21, to enforce the ban.Selling parking on residential properties near major events like this month’s U.S. Open, which is expected to draw nearly 20,000 people on the competition days, is a common sight nationwide.But communities, and even event organizers themselves, have taken different stances toward the practice. Many communities allow it, either looking the other way at the legal status it creates or expressly passing temporary special permissions to allow residents to rake in extra income from a major draw.Some events have forbidden it because of traffic safety concerns.At past U.S. Opens at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, members of the Shinnecock Nation, who are not subject to the town’s zoning codes, have set up private parking lots on their individual properties along Montauk Highway, most even providing shuttles to the venue entrance at the other side of the Stony Brook Southampton college campus.Lance Gumbs, the vice chairman of the nation’s Council of Trustees, said that he and other tribe members with streetfront properties will be offering private parking options, in addition to the VIP parking lots that the USGA has paid the tribe to host on their powwow grounds in the interior of the territory, from which USGA shuttles will ferry the spectators who pay the $84 per day, to the tournament entrance.***Long Island’s Latino population grew more than 120% since the turn of the millennium, compared with about 12% in New York City, according to a report from the Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies at the CUNY Graduate Center.Robert Brodsky reports in NEWSDAY that on Long Island, the Hispanic population grew 122% between 2000 and 2024, including a 143% increase in Suffolk County and a nearly 99% uptick in Nassau County, U.S. Census data shows.The Dominican population has become the largest Latino contingent across both the metropolitan region and on Long Island, which has seen a more than 260% growth during that 24-year period, figures show.Suffolk now has 363,136 Hispanic residents and Nassau has 264,758, data shows.Experts contend Latinos have flocked to Long Island for many of the same reasons other groups have: improved work opportunities, high-performing schools and relatively affordable housing in communities where the Hispanics appear to be clustered.Latinos make up a majority of the population in seven hamlets and villages on Long Island as of 2020, according to Census data. Those areas include Brentwood, North Bay Shore, Central Islip, New Cassel, Inwood, Hempstead Village and on the east end – Flanders.Lawrence Levy, executive dean at Hofstra University’s National Center for Suburban Studies, said the growth of the Latino population on Long Island was not a surprise.But its future trajectory remains in doubt, he said, in part because of the Trump administration's immigration policies. Census data figures include both legal and undocumented U.S. residents."It's pretty hard to predict the future of Latino growth because we're in an unprecedented period in terms of both policy and the processes that flow from it," Levy said. Immigration policies could affect local industries such as construction, and child and elder care, he noted.The total Latino population increase in the N.Y.C. metropolitan area was 48%, from 3.59 million in 2020 to 5.31 million in 2024, according to Census data. ***The Peconic Baykeeper will hold its annual Day for the Bay tomorrow morning from 9 to 11 a.m. at South Jamesport Beach. This year the event will include the Peconic Estuary Partnership, the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the North Fork Anglers.Learn about the Blue Water Task Force and participate in hands-on activities to learn about water pollution, runoff and safe fishing and boating on the North Fork. Tomorrow morning’s event is free.For further info and registration visit Peconicbaykeeper.org.***Presumably bedtime won’t be an issue for Game 2 of the N.B.A. Finals tonight since there’s no school tomorrow. But, parents will once again face a championship bedtime challenge before game 3 Monday night.The last time the New York Knickerbockers won a National Basketball Association title was 1973. With fans' ...
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    10 mins
  • Shinnecock Nation to land helicopters during US Open; removal of "sell-by" dates will reduce food waste; and more East End Long Island news

    Shinnecock Nation to land helicopters during US Open; removal of "sell-by" dates will reduce food waste; and more East End Long Island news
    Jun 4 2026
    Charter helicopters will utilize temporary landing pads on Shinnecock Nation Territory during the U.S. Open Golf Championship for patrons wishing to breeze over traffic backups on roads — for rates ranging from several hundred dollars to more than $1,400 per seat.Michael Wright reports on 27east.com that the aircraft charter booking company Blade and Zip Aviation are working with the U.S. Golf Association and the Shinnecock Tribe to utilize a landing pad that will be set up in an open field, part of the powwow grounds on the 800-acre Shinnecock Neck territory…just west of Southampton Village.The nation’s vice chairman, Lance Gumbs, said that the landing area has room for up to three helicopters to land and disembark passengers who will then be taken by shuttles to the tournament entrance gates.Blade is offering flights to the tournament from helipads in New York City, and from East Hampton Airport, which is only a 10-minute flight away.The Blade booking site — headlined “The longest drive is nothing to brag about” — shows prices for seats aboard the flights from New York City at $1,480 each and private charters as high as $15,000 for up to eight passengers. Seats for the flights from East Hampton Airport are $645 each.A 10 a.m. flight from New York City to the third day of the tournament on Saturday, June 20, is already sold out.During previous U.S. Open events at Shinnecock Hills, seaplanes have delivered passengers to Sebonac Inlet where they were met by concierge services and shuttles to the course, including at the 2018 U.S. Open, when Blade set up a concierge tent at the beach.A spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration said that temporary heliports that are operated for less than 30 days are not regulated by the FAA and do not have to be approved. But the temporary heliports are supposed to be limited to fewer than 10 operations per day — a total of five round-trip flights.***Democrats in the New York State Legislature passed resolutions last night supporting changes to the state constitution that would grant legislators the ability to redraw congressional districts in the middle of the decade.The state Senate voted 38-22 in favor of the resolution. The state Assembly voted 91-47.Steve Hughes reports in NEWSDAY that the votes are the first of three steps that must happen before Democrats, which control both houses, can redraw the state’s congressional districts in order to maximize their representation in Congress.Republican legislators argued that the proposed changes ignore the will of the voters, who approved the creation of an Independent Redistricting Commission in 2014.Democrats said they were simply responding in kind to Republican efforts to create more favorable district maps across the South, amid a nationwide redistricting fight for competitive advantage in the U.S. House of Representatives.The changes would allow the legislature to redraw New York State's 26 congressional districts in the middle of the decade, rather than once a decade when the U.S. Census Bureau numbers come out, as it typically does.The legislature will need to pass the same changes again next year. Voters would also need to approve the measure in November 2027 before it could go into effect for the 2028 election.The proposal allows state Democrats to approve new maps with a simple majority vote and removes a ban on maps drawn to benefit a political party. It also says that if the maps are successfully challenged in court, they go back to the legislature for changes.Democrats hope the eventual new district lines could help them pick up as many as four seats, including ones on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley. Democrats currently hold 19 of New York's 26 seats.***Thanks to coordinated efforts between students and educators, as well as the Southampton Rotary Club, the Bridgehampton School now has a special way of bringing the “global language of peace” to life right here on the east end.Last Friday, the Bridgehampton School community gathered for a special outdoor ceremony to dedicate and recognize the recently installed “Peace Pole” that was set up on school grounds, next to a memorial bench dedicated to former teacher Nancy Bagshaw, who died at the end of 2023 at age 60.Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that Peace Poles are a worldwide Rotary initiative. The tall but slim poles, often white and made of wood or PVC, are internationally recognized symbols meant to represent “the hopes and dreams of the entire human family, standing vigil in silent prayer for peace on earth,” according to rotary.org. Each Peace Pole bears the message "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in different languages on each of its four or six sides. There are tens of thousands of Peace Poles in nearly every country. There are currently more than 100 Peace Poles planted across Long Island.It was the Bridgehampton students who chose the placement of the pole near the bench dedicated to Ms. Bagshaw, a ...
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    10 mins
  • Riverhead Town Board votes to move forward with eminent domain proceedings

    Riverhead Town Board votes to move forward with eminent domain proceedings
    Jun 3 2026
    There are just a couple days left in New York’s legislative session in Albany — and the State Legislature has a lot of catching up to do. Fewer than 350 bills have passed both the Senate and Assembly, meaning that the Legislature will need to go into overdrive to come close to matching the roughly 850 bills passed in 2025.There is always plenty blame to go around in Albany, but this year the clear culprit seems to be the glacial pace of budget negotiations with Gov. Kathy Hochul. Lawmakers finally passed the $269 billion budget last week, giving them only one week to advance their own agenda.In theory, the Legislature could stay in Albany as long as it likes to pass bills. In practice, members have already made travel arrangements to their home districts, to see family and campaign for the June 23 primary.That will put pressure on the Assembly speaker, Carl E. Heastie, and the Senate majority leader, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, to prioritize the bills that have the best chance of passing without much debate.Several issues vying for floor time this week include a moratorium on data centers, making redistricting easier in New York, an uncertain future in plastics, keeping surveillance out of pricing, and counteracting some Trump administration initiatives.The artificial intelligence debate promises to continue throughout the fiscal year in New York and across the country. A.I. has transformed New York’s economy, while it has also begun to shape the state’s physical landscape through the data centers that power A.I.But concerns about their environmental impact and energy consumption have led lawmakers in Albany to rally around a one year moratorium on new data centers.Initially, the push had been for three years. But after conversations with stakeholders, Mr. Heastie said, the Legislature had come to a compromise on one year. “I think we’re comfortable passing that,” he said.Over the next five years, the number of data centers across the nation is projected to triple, consuming more electricity than 28 million households, according to an analysis from the nonprofit Food & Water Watch.***For teen bands in the Town of Southampton, the musical calendar year revolves around one night: the annual Southampton Youth Bureau Battle of the Bands at Ponquogue Beach in Hampton Bays. Dan Stark reports on 27east.com that this year is no different, as teenage bands, friends, family and peers will flock to the parking lot of Ponquogue Beach this coming Friday, June 5, to hear and cheer on their favorite young groups in the 23rd annual Battle of the Bands.Gates open at 7 p.m.; those who arrive early will get to listen to a series of special guest opening acts for the first hour. This year’s slate features four local middle and high school students who have participated in the Youth Bureau’s annual “Hamptons Got Talent” event in the last two years.The main event begins at 8 p.m., when the bands take the stage.Like last year’s edition, this year will feature five competing bands. Each band will have 20 minutes to perform a set of three to four songs each. The winning band gets to come back on stage to perform an encore at the end of the show.Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third places. This year’s prizes have been donated by the event’s sponsors, including Dream Recording Studios, LTV Studios, Hampton Coffee Company and the Hampton Theatre Company.The event will be emceed by three students from Westhampton Beach High School: juniors Elhani Armijos and Jennifer Santiago, and senior Kate Lynch.Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the gate on Friday June 5.For more information, visit southamptontownny.gov/youthbureau or call 631-702-2425.***The Rogers Memorial Library in Southampton invites you to join them for a wonderful Sunday afternoon of chamber music performed by Poetica Ensemble, a consortium of world class musicians led by artistic directors and local residents Song-A Cho and Christopher Shaughnessy. The ensemble has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Scorca Hall as well as other renowned concert halls throughout the greater New York area and beyond.Registration required.The performance is this coming Sunday, June 7, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Morris Meeting Room at the Rogers Memorial Library in Southampton.For further info visit myrml.org.Register for the event at rogersmemorial.librarycalendar.com/event/sunday-concert-80790***The Riverhead Town Board voted yesterday to move forward with eminent domain proceedings against the Long Island Science Center’s downtown property, adopting a findings statement that says acquisition of 111 E. Main St. is necessary to complete the town square project.Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that the resolution passed 3-1, with one abstention. Council Members Denise Merrifield, Joann Waski and Ken Rothwell voted yes. Supervisor Jerry Halpin voted no. Council Member Bob Kern abstained.The resolution authorizes the Town ...
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    10 mins
  • Phone ban proves extremely succesful; Hamptons Pride reaches 5 year milestone; and more East End news

    Phone ban proves extremely succesful; Hamptons Pride reaches 5 year milestone; and more East End news
    Jun 2 2026
    Recently passed state auto insurance reforms could help lower car insurance rates as much as 10% for New York drivers, according to some estimates. That includes Long Island, where the cost to buy and maintain a vehicle is notoriously expensive.Brianne Ledda reports in NEWSDAY that Gov. Kathy Hochul's office has touted the reforms as part of a broader affordability push in her recently passed budget, as Long Islanders and others across New York struggle with rising costs of living. The nonprofit Citizens Budget Commission estimates the changes could shrink premiums as much as 10%, saving at least $200 per individual annually, and as much as $2 billion for New York residents and businesses, without any additional state spending. But while proponents have lauded the initiatives for tackling high premiums, others say the changes could prove harmful to injured crash victims. The measures take aim at high rates of insurance fraud that experts say have been driving up premiums, by strengthening penalties against fraudsters and tightening the legal definition of a "serious injury."The reforms also ban using ZIP codes, occupation, education level or homeownership as primary rating factors — a change that could prove especially beneficial on Long Island, where some ZIP codes last year saw average six-month premiums soar as high as $2,460, said Beth Swanson, an insurance analyst at The Zebra, an insurance comparison company.Historically higher premiums for Long Island "comes down to factors like rampant fraud, runaway litigation, high state minimums, brutal traffic congestion, and just a higher cost of living overall," Swanson said. The reforms take "direct aim at several of those root causes," she added.In New York, insurance fraud and attorney representation in accident cases have played a significant role in driving up costs, said Tim Zawacki, an S & P Global Market Intelligence insurance analyst.Opponents say the changes could prove financially harmful to injured crash victims.***OLA of Eastern Long Island has announced the recipients of its 2026 OLA Youth Scholarship, recognizing eight students from across the East End for their academic achievement, leadership and commitment to their communities.Founded in 2002, OLA of Eastern Long Island, Inc. (Organización Latino Americana) is a nonprofit Latino-focused advocacy organization working in the five East End towns of East Hampton, Southampton, Riverhead, Southold, and Shelter Island.As reported on 27east.com, OLA scholarship recipients this year are Ashley Buestan; Faith Welch; Santiago Solorzano; Shirley Jiang; Angie Castillo; Cristian Bernal; Bruce William Apolo; and Emmanuel Morales Gonzalez.OLA’s youth scholarship program supports students pursuing two- and four-year college programs as well as specialized vocational training. The scholarships provide financial assistance for up to four years to help students continue their education while developing leadership opportunities within their communities.According to OLA, its 2026 recipients plan to pursue careers in medicine, law, engineering, architecture, environmental advocacy and public leadership. Many also have backgrounds in robotics, athletics, theater, climate advocacy, volunteer firefighting, music and mentoring immigrant students.“Ashley, Faith, Santiago, Shirley, Angie, Cristian, Bruce and Emmanuel each represent the extraordinary determination and brilliance that exists within our community,” said Minerva Perez, the executive director of OLA of Eastern Long Island. “Their stories reflect not only academic excellence, but courage, leadership, compassion and the sacrifices of immigrant families who work every day to create brighter futures for the next generation.”***The Riverhead Chamber of Commerce will host “America 250: 4th Before the 4th,” a country-themed BBQ street fair at Grangebel Park in Riverhead, this coming Thursday, the 4th of June, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.The event will feature live country music, BBQ food vendors, line dancing, cold drinks and family activities. Organizers are promoting the event as a kickoff to the summer season and America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.Line dancing – Kids zone – Family fun!The “America 250: 4th Before the 4th,” country street fair is this Thursday at Grangebel Park in downtown Riverhead from 5 to 9 p.m.For more information, email info@riverheadchamber.com.***The federal Education Department's investigation into the Connetquot school district has been referred to the U.S. Department of Justice, after the agency determined that the district violated civil rights law by complying with the state's Native American mascot ban. Darwin Yanes reports in NEWSDAY that in a letter dated May 29, the Education Department's assistant secretary for civil rights, Kimberly Richey, asked the U.S. Justice Department to "commence judicial proceedings" against the district."After the District changed its Native American mascot in response to ...
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